


Interlude: Girl Meets Exposition

by Monica_Rambeau



Series: Rilaya-verse [5]
Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/F, F/M, Hope you like banter, Joshaya (same), Lucaya (but mostly why it didn't work), Rilaya, Super awkward feelings talk, gmw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 09:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11011032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monica_Rambeau/pseuds/Monica_Rambeau
Summary: Josh and Lucas could use a bit of clarification...(or: My OCD brain won't let anything go unanswered. I HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS!)





	Interlude: Girl Meets Exposition

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so, takes place in my Rilaya timeline, yadda yadda yadda, the girls are together and ridiculously happy.

The late afternoon sun flooded Riley Matthew’s bedroom with golden light, illuminating its two occupants as they studied their history books. Riley herself sat in the Bay Window, dutifully reading through their assigned chapters, jotting down notes as she went. Maya lay on her stomach atop Riley’s bed, doodling intently in the margins of her textbook, hopeful that its next owner would appreciate her artistic interpretation of Mr. Matthews’ giant forehead.

 

As if summoned by the thought, Cory knocked casually on the open bedroom door, smiling.

 

“Hey girls, there’s…” He paused, a confused look on his face. His daughters stared at him expectantly.

 

“There’s… what, dad?” Riley finally asked.

 

Cory shook his head. “Sorry, it’s just that you two are more than six inches apart. I kinda forgot what that looked like.”

 

They both smiled proudly.

 

“We’re working on establishing boundaries and individuality in our relationship,” Riley chirped.

 

“Yeah,” Maya concurred, “We don’t wanna wind up as one of those gross, co-dependent couples.”

 

“So, we’re taking some time out of each day to be apart.”

 

The room hung in silence as Cory smiled incredulously, awaiting the inevitable.

 

“I don’t like it!” Maya yelled.

 

“My shoulder is so cold!” Riley whined.

 

“Aw, honey!” Immediately, Maya rushed over to her rightful spot in the window, resting her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder and coaxing a relieved sigh from both of them.

 

“Wow! That lasted longer than I expected,” Cory nodded, mockingly.

 

“Whatd’ya need, daddy?” Riley asked, smiling.

 

“You have some guests,” he replied, stepping back as Lucas and Josh entered the room. Riley smiled wider as they entered.

 

“Hey, guys,” she said, surprised but happy to see them. As she did, Maya curled up in mock terror.

 

“Look out, Riles! It’s the ghosts of boyfriends past!” The boys rolled their eyes as Riley chuckled.

 

“Cute, Maya,” Lucas said. “Can we sit down?”

 

“I don’t know.” Riley looked over to her father. “Can he?”

 

Cory grasped his chest, wounded.

 

“Of course! What kind of overprotective monster do you think I am?”

 

Lucas turned to face him, frantic.

 

“I have no matching boots anymore!”

 

Cory and Riley both chuckled at the memories.

 

“Besides,” Cory shrugged, “If you try anything, I trust Maya to throw you off of the fire escape.”

 

The blonde winked at Mr. Matthews, clicking her tongue twice in confirmation. Cory shot her awkward finger pistols before leaving the four together.

 

“Ok, enough shoe talk,” Josh proclaimed, “Let’s get down to business.”

 

“Jeez, where were the setups like that when I was single?” Maya ruminated.

 

“See?!” Josh squealed, looking at Lucas.

 

“Guys, what’s going on?” Riley asked.

 

“Well,” Lucas began, in his calm and cordial way, “Josh and I were down in the bakery talking…”

 

“What’re you two, girlfriends now?” Maya asked with a smirk.

 

Before Lucas could respond, Riley gasped. “Oh my gosh, I totally ship it!”

 

The boys shared wide-eyed frowns as Maya chimed in.

 

“Aww, Huckleberry and Uncle Boing…”

 

“HUCKLEBOING!” They both yelled, arriving there at the same time.

 

“ANYWAY!” Lucas finally interjected, “We realized that, as much as literally everyone in the world saw your relationship coming a mile away…”

 

“… we, as the ghosts of boyfriends past, are a little… confused about a few things.” Josh continued.

 

The girls nodded, still unsure where this was going.

 

“We came up here,” Lucas said, confidence growing, “because we felt like you guys owed us an explanation about—“

 

“WHOA, whoa, whoa!” Maya burst up from her seat. “I’m sorry! We OWE you?”

 

“Whoo, I would’a phased that differently…” Josh chuckled.

 

Maya turned and grabbed a still smirking Josh by the collar.

 

“Oh, and how WOULD you have phrased it, string bean? We owe you two a justification of our relationship just because we used to date?! Or… almost date?!”

 

Riley was thoughtful for a moment before standing up and lowering Maya’s hand.

 

“No, we don’t…” she said, soothingly, “But… maybe we _do_ owe an explanation to our _friends_ , who we’ve been kind of… emotionally confusing with?”

 

Maya looked at the boys for a moment, then to her girl. She sighed, dropping Josh and sitting down.

 

“Ok, fine.” Maya conceded, earning a snuggle from a smiling Riley. “What can we help you with?”

 

“You wanna go first?” Josh asked Lucas.

 

“Oh no, you go ahead.” Lucas answered.

 

“’…darling,’” Maya tacked onto Lucas’ sentence in a thick, southern drawl. Riley valiantly resisted laughing.

 

“Alright,” Josh said, turning to Maya. “So you love Riley?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“Always have?”

 

“Always will.” Riley smiled and snuggled closer at Maya’s answer.

 

“That what was all of… THAT?!” He gestured behind him, as if he were pointing to something. Maya acted oblivious for a moment before feigning a realization.

 

“Ohhhh, you mean the years of relentless flirting to the point of straight stalking you?” She chuckled as she spoke. “Good times, good times.”

 

“Yeah, for one of us!” Josh was flustered. “Listen, I don’t want to underplay your self discovery, but even after the ski lodge, when you figured out that you were gay—“

 

“I’m not gay,” Maya said confidently, her girlfriend on her arm.

 

Josh and Lucas both sputtered to a stop.

 

“Ok, sorry… when you figured out that you’re bi—“

 

“I’m not bi!” Maya laughed as Riley kissed her cheek.

 

The boys looked at each other, confounded.

 

“Pan?” Josh offered.

 

“I prefer a skillet,” Maya retorted. Riley laughed and sat up.

 

“We’re not really into labeling ourselves that way,” she said, breezily.

 

“Yeah,” Maya continued, “I don’t really care _what_ I am. All I know is that I’m in love with her, and she’s the only one for me.” She paused for a moment before looking excited. “I’m Rileysexual!” She professed proudly. Riley beamed.

 

Josh took a moment, nodded, and powered on.

 

“Fine. Then, if you were in love with Riley all that time…”

 

“Yeah, but… I didn’t _know_ it all that time.” She looked at Riley with a bit of wistfulness. “The way I felt about my best friend my entire life was… SO confusing! I didn’t always handle it the right way. I think it made me glom onto guys that reminded me of Riley… literally, in your case.”

 

Josh looked confused. “How do I remind you of Riley?”

 

Maya shot Josh her best _Are you kidding?_ face. When she saw that he didn’t get it, she stood him up.

 

“Look in the mirror, Josh.”

 

Josh did as he was told, while Maya positioned Riley directly behind him, creating the illusion that Josh had long, curly brown hair.

 

“Wow!” Josh’s eyes bugged out. “Ok, I get it!”

 

He looked at Maya earnestly as the others giggled.

 

“So, you… never had any feelings for me?”

 

Maya’s tough, playful mask fell away as she put an arm on her former crush.

 

“Josh, you are a great guy, and you are ridiculously boing-able…”

 

“Lalalalala…” Riley chanted, plugging her ears.

 

“I was very attracted to a lot of things about you… but, if I’m honest, it was all because it reminded me of her.”

 

Riley smiled at the sweet compliment, but quickly transitioned to an empathetic look toward her uncle. He looked down, brow furrowed, then rose up with his signature smile.

 

“Ok… ok. I… that makes sense. And hey, I am so glad that you guys got together, because…” He looked deep into Maya’s eyes. “You deserve the best love in the world.”

 

Maya smiled wide, grabbing her girlfriend’s hand. “Thank you, Josh. I’ve got it.”

 

They sat for a moment before Maya suddenly spoke again.

 

“Also, I don’t know if you ever thought about this, but I am WAY too young for you!”

 

Josh looked like he might collapse from laughter.

 

“Riley, you watch out, ok? You’ve got a serious brat on your hands!”

 

Riley laughed and grabbed Maya from behind.

 

“Don’t worry,” she said, nuzzling her ear. “I know how to handle her.”

 

Lucas, observing this touching scene, laughed along with them before clearing his throat.

 

“So, I’m guessing that this explanation doesn’t apply to Riley. You probably weren’t with me because I reminded you of Maya.”

 

“Well, we are both blonde…”

 

Riley poked Maya in punishment before turning to Lucas, her eyes all sincerity.

 

“Lucas, what I felt for you was real. You… you were my prince, and I absolutely wanted to be your princess.”

 

Josh laughed silently as Maya made gagging motions behind an oblivious Riley.

 

“But, well… when we got together…”

 

“It wasn’t the fairy tale anymore,” he admitted. “I know, and I felt it too.”

 

She put her hand lovingly on his.

 

“I am so glad that we work so well as friends, because you are so important to me.”

 

Lucas hugged her. “You’re important to me, too, Riley. I’m glad we’re friends.”

 

“Always,” she confirmed.

 

As they separated, Maya raised an eyebrow at the cowboy.

 

“So, have we satisfied the jury?”

 

Lucas and Josh nodded to each other. “Just one more question…”

 

“Shoot.”

 

“What the hell was the Triangle?!” Lucas nearly laughed as he asked his exasperated question.

 

Riley did laugh, slinging a cocky arm around Maya.

 

“Ha! ‘What was the Triangle?’ Ha HA! Can you believe that, Peaches?! HA HA—“ She quickly leaned in to whisper to her girlfriend. “Um, what WAS the Triangle?”

 

Maya laughed at her goofy girlfriend and snatched a quick kiss.

 

“The Triangle was me feeling jealous every time I saw the two of you together and not understanding why. Then Texas happened and when Dr. Ruth here told me that I liked you, well… it made the most sense at the time. I was so mixed up about everything that I assumed she was right. I played along, completely overwhelmed, until I lost myself becoming Riley.”

 

“Right,” Josh said, “To protect her.”

 

“Uh huh,” Maya smirked, “Did that make any more sense when you said it just now than it did at the ski lodge?”

 

Josh opened his mouth, but paused when he stopped to actually think about what he was about to say.

 

“I lost myself in Riley because I wanted to be closer to her, but… I guess I didn’t know how to be. So, I just… started acting more and more like her. Then, she made me confront who I really am, and you…” She pointed to Josh. “… you made me confront what I really wanted. Turns out it wasn’t Lucas, or you…”

 

Maya wrapped her arms around a swooning Riley.

 

“… it was her. It was always her.”

 

The group sat in stunned silence for a few moments, moved by Maya’s honesty and understanding.

 

“But, Peaches…” Riley finally asked, “Why were you so worried about him at the rodeo in Texas?”

 

“Because,” her eyes softened, “he’s one of my best friends, and I really couldn’t stand the thought of him getting hurt. I care about him a whole lot.”

 

Lucas was nearly in tears, holding his hand to his chest.

 

“Wow. Thank you, Maya.”

 

“You’re welcome, Hee Haw.”

 

They all laughed, cutting any remaining tension to ribbons.

 

“Thank you, guys.” Josh nodded in a rare moment of earnest emotion. “Talking all this out really does feel better. One more question, though?”

 

“UGH, god, no! I haven’t been ironic in, like, ten minutes! I’m actually going to die!”

 

Riley smiled at Maya’s outburst, putting a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Go ahead, Josh.”

 

Her uncle fidgeted for a moment before looking up at the couple.

 

“What does it feel like?”

 

The girls looked at each other, confused.

 

“What?”

 

“Being in love?” Lucas chimed in.

 

Riley and Maya smiled, deep and soft, and turned to look at each other.

 

“It’s like… It’s like it’s Christmas every day,” Riley said, staring into her soulmate’s eyes.

 

“It’s like, anywhere you go is home, as long as you’re together.” Maya’s answer was a whisper, as if it were just for the two of them.

 

“Oh, Peaches, you are so sweet!” Riley melted, touching her girlfriend’s face.

 

“YOU’RE so sweet! I love you, honey!”

 

And then they were kissing. A lot.

 

“OK, so… we should probably go,” Lucas suggested, standing awkwardly from the Bay Window.

 

“Yup, no need to scar myself even more,” Josh concurred as they headed toward the door together.

 

“BYE, HUCKLEBOING!” The girls managed to yell before quickly diving back into each other.

 

The two boys rolled their eyes, stopping briefly to look at each other thoughtfully, each sizing the other up...

 

“Nah,” they both conceded, leaving their exes to make-out in peace.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, hey! That was... a thing that I wrote! Listen, it's an 'Interlude' for a reason. Hope you liked it, though!
> 
> Comments and reviews keep baby seals alive.


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